SAN DIEGO, Calif. - February 5, 2003 - Americans have plenty of reason
to celebrate this Valentine's Day: Over 70 percent of couples describe their
relationships as successful, according to a recent survey conducted by
Proflowers. Inc., the largest direct-from-the-grower flower provider in the U.S.
But while ours appears to be a nation in love, the survey also revealed that men
and women have very different ideas regarding what makes their relationships
work.
According to the survey, around 80 percent more men than women said that
companionship is the glue that keeps their long-term relationships together -
and four times more men than women credit a good sex life as the bond that keeps
their relationship strong. By contrast, the majority of women reported that love
is the key to longevity.
Longevity aside, what are the factors that make their relationships
successful? 34 percent of men and 37 percent of women cited mutual trust and
respect as being the key to a successful relationship, with good communication
following a close second. And while men and women also agree on numerous other
factors that contribute to a successful relationship - such as the ability to
compromise, a shared sense of humor, and time with family - nearly twice as many
men than women said time alone with their friends is also key to relationship
success.
Men Want to Quit
This Valentine's Day, ladies, put your credit card
away: Close to 20 percent of all men surveyed said that if their partner were to
do something special for them, they would most like to have the ability to quit
their jobs, compared to just 10 percent of women. But close to 7 percent of men
said a strip-o-gram would top their list of presents - versus zero female
respondents. On the other hand, the majority of women said they would most like
to receive a weekend getaway or expensive jewelry. If that's not in your budget,
you're in luck: More than 15 percent of women said they'd simply like to receive
a surprise bouquet of flowers.
Why Did I Marry Her?
Proflowers' survey also shows that men and
women differ in what attracted them to their partners in the first place.
Surprisingly, around 40 percent more men than women were drawn to their
partner's philosophy of life - while nearly twice as many women were first
attracted to their partner's sense of humor. The survey also showed that when it
comes to attraction, the following qualities were cited as most important:
- A great body: Nearly 12% of male respondents, versus 4.5% of female
respondents, cited a hot physique as the initial spark.
- A beautiful face: 13% of male respondents, versus 9% of female respondents,
said a beautiful face was what captured their interest first.
- Love of family: 9.8 % of female respondents, versus 5.5% of male
respondents, said love of family was the initial reason for attraction.
A Rose is A Rose…
What sort of flower or plant does your partner
most closely resemble? Over 25 percent of both men and women chose a rose,
because "everyone loves them." But close to 20% of all respondents chose a
cactus - characterizing their partner as "prickly but loveable." Ouch!
Interestingly, three times as many women would describe their partners as poison
ivy, "riddled with contagious wit and sarcasm." And nearly three times as many
men described their partners as poppies - "She puts me to sleep!" - they say.
I Wouldn't Change a Thing
And what would most Americans change
about their partners? A whopping 73 percent of men and 55 percent of women
wouldn't alter a thing. Among those men who did find fault with their partners,
twice as many men than women said their partners could stand to be a little
funnier and smarter. Conversely, women dreamed of men who were richer, more
sensitive, and more thoughtful.
About Proflowers
Proflowers, Inc., headquartered in San
Diego, California, is the largest direct-from-the-grower flower company in the
U.S. and the first flower retailer to offer a 7-Day Freshness Guarantee. Using
its proprietary supply chain compression solution for the floral industry, the
company offers customers an ever-growing variety of fresh, affordable flowers
and plants through its network of growers. The company's international presence
includes shipping capabilities to 30 countries worldwide. Proflowers earned
Forrester Research's number one PowerRankings in the Flower category in the most
recent two consecutive periods, ranking top in every category measured.
Proflowers was launched by Jared Polis in 1998.